Ok so first of all, English is not our first language but we'll try our best to make as few mistakes as possible while writing it😉, but if we still make any mistake😭 then understand the reasons and correct them according to your needs🥹.

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Authors POV

The school looked bright that morning. The corridors were clean, and the classrooms stood ready for the day. The assembly ground lay open and empty.

Outside, trees lined the pathways, their leaves moving with the breeze. Someone had swept the ground early. The playground sat off to the side.

Near one of the corridors, three friends stood together, leaning against the wall. They laughed at a joke no one else understood, loud enough to turn a few heads. Some students smiled as they passed. Others walked by without looking, already lost in their own thoughts.

It was the kind of question Trisha asked at least once a week, always with the same dramatic pout. "Why does no one stay with us?" she complained, planting her hands on her hips.

Ira didn't even bother looking up. She was too busy smoothing the creases on her dress, her expression calm in that annoyingly effortless way. "Jubaan dekhi hai apni?" she said flatly.

For a second, no one said anything. Then all of them laughed at once.

Ridhima raised her hand dramatically. "Akele reh lenge," she said solemnly, "lekin kisi dogle insaan ke saath nahi rahenge."

That got a few soft chuckles from them.

"Oye! Tune aaj kajal nahi lagaya?" Trisha teased, squinting at Ira and pointing at her face.

Ira blinked, caught off guard. Then she smiled, a little embarrassed. "Nahi. Late ho gayi thi aaj. Time hi nahi mila."

Ridhima tilted her head. "Waise Rishu," she said slowly, dragging the name out, "Ek dusre school ke ladke ne mujhse tera number maanga hai." She paused before adding, "So... should I give it to him?"

Trisha folded her arms and sighed. "He didn't have the guts to ask me himself." she shook her head, "Toh nahi, mana kar de usey."

Ridhima grinned, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Tu haa bhi bolti, tab bhi nahi deti." she teased. 

Ira chuckled at the jab, while Trisha rolled her eyes.

Just then, a girl hurried over, holding a notebook close. "Trisha!" she called, a little out of breath. "Your notebook has been checked." She pushed it into Trisha's hands.

Trisha's face brightened as she took it. "Arey, thank you yaar."

The girl nodded once and disappeared into the crowd before Trisha could say anything else.

"Didiii!" Nirvan's voice rang out down the corridor as he ran toward them while grinning.

"Kya hua?!" they asked together. 

Nirvan stopped in front of them, barely catching his breath. "Something amazing," he announced proudly.

Then, with a grin he added, "Mujh jaise handsome ladke ko aaj ek ladki ne propose kiya." He ran a hand through his hair.

They all groaned at once.

"Ch–ch pe badi ee ki matra, chii! Sab yeh kehte hain tujhe dekh ke," Trisha said, wagging a finger at him.

"Exactly," Ridhima cut in. "Kaun hai woh dimaag se paidal, andhi aur takli ladki?" She looked him up and down. "Jisne tujhe propose kiya?"

Ira folded her arms. "Yeh koi umar hai inn sab cheezon ki?" she said calmly. "Focus on your studies, samjha?"

"Haan!" Trisha jumped back in. "Nahi toh kapaal kachya doongi, abhi yahin?" She swung her fist toward him.

Nirvan yelped and threw his hands up, stumbling back a step as the others burst out laughing.

[Kapaal Kachya doongi= I'll make a hole in your head or Tere sar per ched kar doongi]

"Arey! But aap-" Nirvan started.

"Bhapp!" All three voices cut him off at once.

He flinched, opened his mouth, then thought better of it. With a small huff, he turned and walked away.

"Guys! Main notebook class mein rakh deti hoon, phir assembly ke liye chalte hain," Trisha said while still giggling.

She spun the notebook on her finger, almost dropped it, then grabbed it again with a grin while her friends shook their heads as she headed toward the classroom.

The corridor was crowded now when someone bumped hard into Trisha's shoulder.

The notebook slipped from her hand. Pages flew everywhere as it hit the floor.

"Abey oye!" she snapped. "Dekh ke nahi chal sakta kya?"

A few steps away, a boy was crouched near the wall, tying his shoelace. He glanced up just in time to see her back and reached out to grab the notebook.

"Andha kahin ka," Trisha muttered, snatching it from his hand. "Notebook gira di meri."

Then, she added, "Thank you." She leaned a little to the side, trying to see his face, but he was still bent over, fingers busy with the lace.

"You're welcome," he said, not looking up.

Trisha shrugged, slid the notebook under her arm, and walked off.

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The morning assembly began as sunlight spilled into the courtyard, warming the cold tiles under everyone's feet.

Students stood in straight lines, class-wise, uniforms freshly ironed and shoes still cool from the morning air. As the prayer music crackled to life from the loudspeakers, a quiet hush moved through the crowd.

Hands came together in namaste. The prayer followed, some voices loud and confident, others barely awake enough to keep up.

A few students closed their eyes sincerely. Some shut them just to hide a yawn. One boy looked especially devoted, chin lifted and eyes shut tight, but he was really just trying not to lose balance while his friend nudged him from behind.

In the middle row, a few students pretended to pray but kept peeking at the teachers to see if anyone was watching. And it was none other than T.R.I.

"Inn school waalon ne hum bachchon se saari shakti iss kadakti dhoop mein hi khade hoke mangwani hai?" Ira muttered, her eyes squeezed shut against the glare.

"Bhagwaan," Trisha wailed softly, fanning herself with both hands, "khatam karwa do isey. Nahi li jaa rahi humse iss dhoop mein shakti."

"Arey, kab tak chalega yeh atyachaar humpe?" Ridhima whispered loudly. "Khatam karwao isey jaldi, please."

They somehow held it together till the end.

The final Thank you, God echoed across the courtyard. A second later, everyone exhaled.

But before they could even exhale properly or sneak in a joke, the mic crackled again.

"Now, our respected Principal Sir will address the students."

A few groans slipped out. Someone actually sighed out loud.

"Aa gaya buddha," Ridhima muttered. "Ab khaayega dimaag."

Her eyes stayed fixed on the principal as he walked onto the stage, his face already set in that familiar stern look.

As Principal Sharma climbed onto the stage, a wave of forced discipline moved through the crowd.

Half the students straightened instantly, hands locked behind their backs. The rest mastered the classic open-mouth-but-cover-with-your-hand move, which fooled absolutely no one.

"Good morning, students," Principal Sharma began, stretching the words far longer than necessary.

Trisha rolled her eyes. "Subah-subah tera chehra dekh liya," she muttered. "Ab kahan rahi good morning?"

Her friends struggled to keep straight faces.

"Main dekh raha tha wahan se ki-" the principal began, his voice booming across the ground.

Ridhima leaned toward Trisha and Ira. "Haan toh humne bola tha dekhne ko?" she whispered. "Mat dekhta."

That earned quick smirks from both of them as their heads were still stayed bowed.

"Today, it's hotter than usual," Principal Sharma continued, pausing for effect, "so I won't take much of your time."

Trisha leaned in again. "Oh wow," she muttered. "Pata lag gaya ki garmi hai. Badhai ho! Jal gayi tubelight."

A few muffled giggles followed.

"It's only been two weeks since the new session started," Ira said quietly. "Aur inn do hafton mein yeh solahvi baar keh chuka hai." Her eyes flicked toward the stage.

"Wahi toh!" Ridhima whispered loudly. "Waise bhi achha hai. First period skip ho jaata hai. Padhna nahi padta."

"First period?!" Trisha said, her brows furrowed. "Behen! Hum toh kisi period me nahi padhte." 

It draw quick giggles from Ira and Ridhima, who struggled to keep their faces straight under the teachers' watchful eyes.

On the stage, the principal finally wrapped up. "Thank you. Have a productive day ahead."

"Finally," Ridhima breathed out. "Khatam ho gaya."

Ira and Trisha exchanged smirks as the crowd began to move.

Trisha walked with Ira and Ridhima through the crowd, their laughter carrying down the corridor even after the bell had faded.

"Oye!" Ridhima said suddenly, pulling both Trisha and Ira's attention toward her.

Trisha and Ira both turned. "What?!"

Ridhima leaned in a little. "Jo ladka tha na," she said, lowering her voice, "jisne teri notebook uthayi, kaun tha?"

Trisha slowed for a second as the moment was replaying in her head. The bump. The notebook slipping. The boy crouched near the wall, tying his shoelace, his face hidden. 

She remembered nothing but the sound of his voice.

She shook her head. "No idea who he was." Then, annoyed at herself, she added, "Uska chehra nahi dekh paayi."

"Kismat ne chaha toh agli baar phir mila degi tujhe usse," Ira said, nudging Trisha's shoulder with a smirk.

Trisha laughed softly as her gaze drifted for a second. "That's exactly the problem," she said. "I don't really trust all this fate-vate."

Ridhima glanced at her. "Kyu?" she asked. "Itni kya dushmani hai kismat se?"

Trisha exhaled while looking down at the floor. "Fate sounds nice," she said quietly. "Bilkul fairy-tale types jaise." She paused for a second before she added. "But honestly? Jab bhi maine kuch kismat pe chhorha hai... kuch theek nahi hua."

No one said anything.

Trisha pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Mujhe lagta hai na," she added, almost to herself, "jo cheezein hum control kar sakte hain, jo hum sambhaal sakte hain, sirf wahi safe hoti hain." 

She shrugged lightly. "Log, situations, feelings... aur fate? Sab unpredictable hai. Aur thoda risky bhi."

Ira and Ridhima watched her quietly, the teasing slipping away for once.

Trisha went on, her voice low. "Aur waise bhi... kisi anjaane se phir mil paana?" She shook her head. "Impossible." She added with a small smile. "Fate itna free thodi na baitha hai."

Then, all of a sudden, she clapped her hands. "O bhains ki aankh!" she laughed. "Kitni mature baat kar li maine!"

Ira blinked. Ridhima snorted and a second later, all three of them were laughing again.

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They reached the end of the staircase and slowed, laughter fading as they glanced down the hallway. The classroom waited at the far end and one look was enough.

The next second, the corridor exploded into noise. Shoes squeaked as they took off, slipping slightly on the polished floor.

Ira's ponytail whipped behind her. Ridhima laughed even as she ran out of breath. Trisha was already ahead, shouting something completely incoherent, that just made them laugh harder.

They were barely meters from the classroom when it happened.

Trisha's foot caught in her untied shoelace. Then her balance tipped. Her arms flew out, her body lunged forward, and gravity did the rest.

She skidded straight through the open doorway and hit the polished floor face-first.

Every head in the room snapped toward her. The teacher's chalk hung frozen mid-air. The ceiling fan kept whirring.

"TRISHA!"

The room exploded. Ira and Ridhima doubled over, laughing so hard they could barely breathe. They stumbled toward her, trying to help and failing miserably, tears streaming as their giggles spilled out with every step.

Trisha laughed until her stomach hurt. "Ab mere saath nahi hoga toh kiske saath hoga?" she wheezed, brushing imaginary dust off her elbows.

Ira nearly lost her balance, and Ridhima grabbed her side for making herself balanced.

Then the teacher looked at them and the laughter died instantly.

Trisha straightened, lips pressed together to contol the laugh. Ira and Ridhima stood beside her, eyes wide, faces suddenly blank.

"Where were the three of you until now?" the teacher snapped.

The three of them exchanged a quick look.

Trisha cleared her throat. "Woh, ma'am... aate time Preeti Ma'am ne rok liya tha."

Ira and Ridhima nodded immediately, their faces were straight and innocent.

"But Preeti Ma'am didn't even come today," a girl said from the back.

The room went quiet and the teacher lift her brow slightly at them.

All three of them turned at once toward the girl.

Trisha's stare alone was enough, Ridhima raised one eyebrow while Ira's smile vanished completely.

The girl looked down at her desk and didn't say another word.

"Out of the class. Now!" the teacher snapped, pointing sharply at the door.

Trisha, Ira, and Ridhima didn't say a word. They walked out without protest, the sound of their footsteps oddly loud in the silence. The door shut behind them with a soft click.

Outside, the three of them leaned against the wall, the faint murmur of the class seeping through.

Trisha tilted her head back and dropped her voice. "Out. Of. The. Class." she intoned, mimicking the teacher's voice

Ira snorted first. Ridhima covered her mouth, shoulders shaking, and within seconds all three of them were laughing again.

"Did you see her face?" Ridhima said while grinning. "The way her upper lip went up while she was talking!" she added as she mimicked the odd expression.

"You noticed it too?!" Trisha laughed. "I did as well!"

They looked at each other and smacked a loud high-five while laughing again.

"Have some shame, you two," Ira cut in making the laughter died down. 

Both of them turned toward her in unison.

"This is the fifth time in three days we've been thrown out of class," she said quietly. "It's not funny anymore."

"You count it?!" Trisha said, gasping dramatically. "Wow. Five times in three days. Look at our progress!" 

She bumped Ira's shoulder and started laughing again while Ridhima shook her head.

"Kuch nahi ho sakta tum dono ka," Ira said, leaning back against the wall, arms crossed.

"Hum teeno ka," Ridhima corrected, slipping an arm around both of them.

The closeness tugged a smile out of Ira despite herself, and Trisha noticed immediately and laughed harder.